BAGHDAD, Iraq – With two weeks to go until full sovereignty, Iraqis already are running more than half the government’s ministries, making key decisions, setting policy and managing their own budgets without direction from the U.S.-led coalition.
As of this week, Iraqis are in full control of 15 of the 26 ministries – including the key departments of oil, foreign affairs, health, education, public works and municipalities, and transportation – even before the June 30 transfer of sovereignty, coalition officials say.
Over the next two weeks, the remaining ministries will assume full powers in such critical fields as defense, communications, electricity and finance.
At the same time, Iraq’s new leaders are beginning to assert their independence, taking public stands different from their American backers on issues including the fate of Saddam Hussein, security and control over key public property.
The differences have not approached a serious breach and could simply reflect the fact that no Iraqi politician wants to be seen by his own people – or the wider Arab world – as a Washington puppet.
American officials in Iraq have publicly downplayed any talk of differences with the new government, which the United States and the United Nations put together to take power until national elections planned by Jan. 31.
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has arrived in Baghdad to discuss the fine points of the power transfer and details of the relationship between the United States and the new government after June 30.
The U.S.-run Coalition Provisional Authority, which assumed supreme power in Iraq after the collapse of Hussein’s regime, disappears with the sovereignty transfer. A U.S. Embassy will begin functioning.
“These talks are just the beginning of a new relationship between the government of Iraq and the members of the coalition,” a coalition statement said Wednesday after Wolfowitz’s first day of talks with Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and others.
“The constructive and positive atmosphere of the talks reflects the nature of this new relationship – a partnership based on common objectives and assessments.”
Nevertheless, recent statements by Allawi, President Ghazi al-Yawer and others indicate that the new Iraqi leaders do not intend to be pushovers – even if they support many U.S. policy goals.
One example is control of Hussein’s former Republican Palace, which has become the headquarters for the U.S.-led coalition. U.S. officials want to stay there, saying there will not be enough room in the American Embassy for all the offices required by the new diplomatic mission.
But al-Yawer said Tuesday the Iraqi government wants the Republican Palace back.
“There is no talk of inviting the United States to keep the Republican Palace as an embassy supplement,” al-Yawer said. “We asked that the Republican Palace be vacated in the fastest opportunity. It is a symbol of Iraqi sovereignty.”
There also are differences over the issue of Hussein, who has been held in American custody since he was captured by U.S. soldiers in December near Tikrit.
In a series of interviews, Allawi said the new government expected to take control of Hussein with the return of sovereignty.
Salem Chalabi, who is in charge of setting up a special tribunal to try members of the ousted regime, went even further Tuesday, saying he expected criminal charges to be filed against the deposed leader by June 30.
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